The word balding does not get used as much today but hair loss is primarily a genetic trait which members of the same family suffer although there are other factors involved, it may take quite a while for science to find a genetic cure to the problem. The primary cause of balding in men and women is that it is a genetic trait passed down by their parents but baldness can be cause by other conditions. If other men in your family suffer with hair loss in specific places on the head then there is a very good change that you will too as these hormonal imbalances seem to have greater effect as the person's age increases.

This is the real cause of hair loss and normally lies with hormonal problems and occurs when male or female hormones (androgens and estrogens) are out of balance. An imbalance of hormones is usually a genetic trait that as of yet, cannot be cured.

Male and female-pattern baldness is the most common form of hair loss and is caused by a hormone called DHT, a naturally occurring hormone that helps in sexual development but treatments are available. To control this problem there are shampoos like Rogaine and tablets that control the level of DHT in the hair follicles like Propecia. Of course hair replacement treatments like transplant surgery are generally successful as the hair from the areas where the DHT level is higher are replaced by hair from other areas of the head that are not as sensitive to the hormone.

At any point in a person's life about 10 percent of the hair on their head is resting (not growing) and after a few months, the resting hair falls out and new hair begins to grow in its place; this growing phase can last anywhere from 2 to 6 years. It must be noted that hair loss is quite normal and hair can grow over 1 centimeter each month during the growing phase but there are people that, owing to other reasons, will lose more than this per month.

Many reasons for hair loss are circulated like wearing a hat, stress, sweat or even poor circulation but these are all untrue. While it is possible to lose hair through stress, this has to be extreme like that caused by torture for example and not everyday stress and generally, when this occurs, the condition is reversible.

It is also possible to have a hair loss problem if you have been subject to chemotherapy, have taken pills to control depression or hormones, if you have a diabetes and even an excess of vitamin A can cause the condition along with infections of the scalp. A permanent solution to hair loss might take sometime and while many people wait anxiously for it, they will have to use what science has devised so far.